第五章 understatement(低调陈述).ppt

How would you describe them? Please make a sentence. Here we have a polite and humorous way to describe them: 1.They are not the thinnest people in the world.  2.They are a little on the big side It is not polite to say that they are “fat” Understatement (眀抑暗扬的低调陈述） Understatement (眀抑暗扬的低调陈述） Understatement—a statement which is not strong enough to express the full or true facts or feelings. In Chinese, “轻描淡写的陈述，不充分的陈述” 它是与Hyperbole（夸张）相对的一种修辞格。 Hyperbole是故意“夸大其辞”，“化小为大”，是deliberately maximize the importance和 play up； Understatement则故意采取“低调”，化大为小”，是deliberately minimize the importance和 play down。 一、借助词汇手段表示低调陈述 1. For large numbers of people the absence of work is harmful to their health. 对所有人来说，事业都不是一件轻松的是事情，在心理和经济上都要承受巨大压力。而作者运用低调陈述的方法，轻描淡写，淡化事情的严重性，把失业（unemployment）这件大事说成“不上班”（the absence of work） 2. I have studied humane nature, and I knew a thing or two. 句子中“略知一二（know a thing or two）” 表明说话人非常谦虚，为人低调，同时强调他见多识广，能洞察人情和识破虚假。 Understatement 的表现手段 二、借助语法手段表示低调陈述 1. 虚拟语气 I know he is honest, and I wish I could add he were capable. 这句话的内涵是：诚实只能说明一个人的品质，不能表明他的才干。说话人意在强调“he is honest, but not capable of dealing with things. 2. 双重否定表示低调陈述 It was not without reason that the council decided to take such measures. 这句话的内涵：the council decided to take such measures with good reasons.) 双重否定使得语气更加强烈，说明安理会采取这样的措施是完全有理由的。 Understatement 的表现手段 Understatement 常用的表现方法 There was a slight disturbance in the Soviet Union last year, which caused the disintegration of the country. (苏联出了一点小乱子，导致了这个国家的解体) 把重大的政治动乱说成是“出了一点小乱子” (a slight disturbance）,这种含蓄的轻描淡写给人造成了极其强烈的印象。 1) 以弱说代替强说 1)The face wasn’t a bad one; it had what they called charm. 意即The face was sweet; her charm conquered everybody. 明似贬抑，实则褒扬，不是冲淡她的魅力，而是采用低调渲染强调她的魅力 2)It was no small feat to harness the energies of an entire nation for a united show of hospitality and good will for visitors from around the world. （把整个国家的能量调动起来，对来自世界各地的访问者表现出一致的好客和友好，这不是小